Wick
by TheImpavid
Summary: They never thought a stupid game would turn into this. One small change and 6 teenagers find themselves in a situation they never thought about. Turns out they're not the first ones either.


**Wick**

Wick is an underrated horror videogame that not many people have heard of and much less have played. However, from this videogame came a real-life game many people know about, mainly played by teenagers and young adults. There are various combinations of Wick people play and each unique to the people, but the same concept. The version my friends and I first heard about is the simplest form and sounded like a horrible prank to pull. One person is blindfolded, led into the woods by other people, spun around, and must count to 100 before taking off the blindfold. Once the blindfold is off, that is all you have besides one candlestick and a box of matches. No blanket, no phone, no whistle, or anything to help if you get into trouble. There are two options you can do: one, stay in the same spot until dawn and wait for the people to retrieve you or, two, try to navigate out of the forest on your own.

Obviously, after hearing about this game, my friends and I were very weary of participating in the game, but we were very curious as well. We played the simplest form of the game the first time and I was the lucky victim that unfaithful night. I remember the event as if it happened yesterday and how terrified little old, sophomore Jonathon was. It was late autumn nearly two years ago and so windy that I expected a tornado to appear any minute. The box of matches I had went fast as the wind kept blowing out the candle. The night lasted forever to me, but by dawn, I have never been more grateful to see those five pricks walking towards me with flashlights. Once we got out of the forest, the boys wanted to play the game again, seeing as I wasn't torn apart by a pack of wolves. Of course, they would use me as a test dummy, but I don't blame them. I've done the exact same thing to all of them at one point or another.

Overtime of playing again and again, we slowly shifted Wick into a version we love to play a few times a month. After the first several rounds we played where we used a new candlestick each round, we had a large collection of candles at different sizes. We taped a number on the bottom of the stick then choose a number out of a hat or something. We would have to play where that candlestick left off, which could be anywhere from a new candle to barely an inch left. From there, we found out that in emergency situations, crayons can be used as a candle, but burns up in about half an hour. So, we made the switch into carrying a box of crayons and using lighters as a better fire source. I think the Wal-Mart employee thought we were buying school supplies for kids when the six of us bought the entire shelf stock. If she knew we used it to scare each other every weekend in the forest, I bet she would regret using her discount on us.

Within the last year, Evan got the idea of adding a hide-and-seek/last-man-standing aspect to Wick. At the entrance of the forest, all of us would run into the forest in different directions and stop when we countdown 100. It'll start as a 5 versus 1 where there is a group whose mission is to make it out of the forest or survive until dawn. The lonesome man, or monster, has the mission to hunt down the survival players, or scavengers. The monster wears a backpack with five flashlights in it and carries his own as he searches the forest. If the monster finds a player, the scavenger gives up their box of crayons and lighter for the flashlight. Basic rules are no fighting, no using your phone, and no giving up the location of other players. It is also an unspoken rule between us that you must try to scare the living daylights out of each other.

My group of friends are Evan Fong, Luke Patterson, Bryce McQuaid, Ryan O'Neill and David Nagle, and I am Jonathon Dennis. It's the beginning of our senior year, and we decided to kickstart the school year by changing up Wick again. For the last couple years, our group has always played from the same entrance point in the forest. Tonight, we are using the other entrance for the first time since all of us live on the other side. So, here we are, riding in Luke's old, beaten truck to Mirt Entrance. Luke and Ryan are riding in the only seats up front while the rest of us are in the truck bed. Good thing it's still considered summer as my friends would be popsicles by now. Weaklings.

The sky is pitch black like midnight strokes, infinite stars shimmer across the dark canvas, and a full moon would've completed the picture. However, there is a quarter crescent shape laughing at us from above. Enormous spruce trees tower over us with their branches cloaking the forest with no moonlight letting through. Faded black, rusted fences encase the forest since this was originally a nature preservation, but has long since been abandoned. Legend is that two girls named Piper Mirt and Susan Smith were avid participators for nature rights. Apparently, they killed themselves so that they can haunt the forest and protect it from polluters. The nature preservation was aware of the old legend and name the two main entrances after the girls in respect. Luke and I have been playing in these woods all our lives and have never seen anything supernatural going on. It's probably a just a legend the locals came up with to stop kids from playing in them.

The truck comes to a sudden halt as we park right in front and it's completely dark as the headlights shut off. The rumbling engine dies down, leaving and eerie silence in the air that unnerves me. With our group, silence isn't in our vocabulary as the guys start talking about random things in general. "This looks exactly like the other entrance," Evan whines as he jumps from the truck bed. All of us following his lead and exiting the truck, but much more relaxed. Not all of us can swing off the side with parkour grace and land Superman style.

Evan is probably the biggest reason all of us came together, and he is referred to as our leader, despite that a few of us are older. He is a tall, muscled man with dark features and tan skin with a few heroic scars in selfless sacrifice. Meaning he was the one who took home a stray cat we found in the forest last year. He is very carefree and open with us, but with other people he gets socially awkward. He also has an unusual overenthusiastic love for explosions. In a very short time of knowing him, we figured out he gets protective of his friends. He nearly got suspended two weeks after we met him for punching this kid named Tyler. Poor Tyler, all he did was joke about me looking like a girl. Never mind, fuck Tyler.

"I don't know. Looks 'bit creepy." Ryan replies, stepping out with a ratted black backpack on his shoulder.

He is taller than the average height for a man, about the same height as Luke, but nothing to be overly impressed by. Most of group is tall, apart from myself, but you can blame my genes for that. He has ruffled brown hair, natural skin tone that is neither pale now tan, and hazel eyes. He isn't much of a fighter, but tries to play peacemaker most of the time. Although, I've seen him get feisty in arguments and say things he always regrets later. He is one the oldest in the group, but one of the most perverted, and tends to give off the wrong vibe to newcomers. Mainly to Bryce since our school was so convinced they were dating and tried to nominate them as 'Cutest Couple' once.

"You're creepy but we hang out with you," Bryce snickers innocently. I swear, this angel of a man could get away with murder.

He is the one of the tallest in the group, just tied with David, which pisses me off to no end, but he is nice and doesn't rub it in my face. He has perfectly styled copper blonde hair, natural skin, and brilliant blue eyes hidden behind glasses. He is the youngest out of all us and is only in the same grade since he skipped one level. He is a very fast learner and can pick up on memory, which makes him very cocky. If you know something he doesn't, chances are he will learn it and throw it 10x better back in your face. He has the fastest escape record for Wick because the week before we had to get him at dawn. I love competing with him, which is usually my luck versus his skill. Jerk usually wins.

"Well that wasn't very Bryce of you, Bryce." David teases, poking Bryce in the side. The latter letting out a squeal and causes the rest of us to laugh.

Matching Bryce's height, David is one of the tallest and towers over me effortlessly. He has bushy black hair, chestnut brown eyes, a shit beard, and he wears glasses. Surprisingly, with his wacky social skills and his inability to talk English sometimes, he's the ladies' man of the group. He's had more girlfriends out of all of us and just recently broke up with another one. Lately he has been asking everybody here if it would be all right for him to get a dog or two, but I'm not sure where that is going. He is known in our gang for having rage problems and it's fun to mess with him most times. Except for that one time we all dressed as clowns after his first time watching It and gave Ryan a black eye. Never knew he could throw a nasty right hook.

"I am very Bryce, thank you very much."

"Heh. You're welcome!"

"Why don't you two shut the fuck up and take a flashlight?" Luke cuts in roughly, but we all know he's joking.

He seems the most normal height, and being between Bryce's and Ryan's height. He has a small, brown mohawk that slides down to brown stubble, natural fair skin tone, and medium brown eyes. He has a short temper and likes to yell, which isn't a good combination. He is my absolute best friend in the world, known me since we were kids, and is currently dating my sister. We're an infamous duo in our street: the psychotic clown that is like a son of Jason Voorhees, and him: the ferocious red devil that isn't afraid of anything. Well, at least according to our annual Halloween costume. He's like an older brother to me that I would do anything for and I know he would do the same for me. Except not date my sister. Disgusting!

"Do you want to talk about your emotions, Evan?" I hear Luke ask, making some of us look over at the two near the hood.

"No, I'm good." He replies with a small shrug.

"I do!" David chirps in, raising his hand and jumping up and down.

"I know, David." Luke sighs heavily.

"I feel sad." Probably because he misses his dogs by now

"I know, David."

"You ready to be the monster, Ryan?" I question, changing the subject before Luke punches David. He's done it once before and I don't doubt he'll do it again. Plus, I want to check with Ryan since he has some vision problem that makes him see static occasionally and he doesn't let us know when it gets in the way. He is way too stubborn.

"Yeah man. Just go a bit easy on me since we haven't been here before."

"No problem buddy," Bryce answers and the rest of us mutter our agreements.

"Alright men! We know the rules of the game. On the count of go, we take off, okay?" Evan announced as we line up against the entrance. "Three! Two!" There's a giant pause for about six seconds; I hate when he does this. "One! Go!" We take off at his word and start running.

100.

My feet are running faster than my mind can keep up and I weave through the trees choppily since I don't know this terrain.

79.

Distance is all that matters as I keep my feet moving, even when I feel a small burn in my legs and my breathing quivers slightly.

62.

All my focus is on my labored breathing, trying to even it out, and the intense heartbeat drumming in my ears.

44.

Wow, if I'm getting tired this fast, I should probably start joining one of the guys on their workout schedule sometime. Then again, I like watching a lot of shows in my spare time.

27.

Will somebody kill me please? I don't think my heart can handle much more of this. I started running like an eagle soaring on a mission, but now I feel like a fat penguin.

12.

Now I'm starting feel okay. Huh? Maybe I will go join Bryce on his morning runs, but only if I can get up before class starts.

5.

I can do this. Just a bit longer.

4.

I bet all the guys aren't even breaking a sweat now.

3.

Maybe Ryan or David. Neither of them do exercise like the other three.

2.

My feet start slowing down as the time is almost up, my legs getting heavier, and I begin taking in the area surrounding me.

1.

I plant my feet firmly to the ground before spinning, keeping up with velocity, but it doesn't work out well. My legs give out as I send myself crashing into the ground. My wrists are throbbing from catching my fall, I can't feel my legs anymore, and my breathing is fast and heavy. Yeah, exercise is a good idea.

My heartbeat slows, and I realize that there is not one other noise I can make out in the forest; no owls hooting, no leaves dancing, no animals running amok, and no other breathing. Chills run down my spine despite the blue jacket I have on and I look around the darkness for other signs of life. It is so dark thought, I can only see the first few feet in front of my face before blackness envelopes the world around me. With jittery fingers, I fumble in my pants pocket for the lighter and the box of crayons I hope I didn't break in my fall. It felt as if a cold blanket is wrapped around me, as if somebody was softly blowing chilly air against my neck, as if a ghost had just passed through me. I didn't know what I fear, but I know I'm scared. It takes a couple attempts, but the lighter flickers on and crayon wrapper easily catches fire, and the forest lights up. That's when I notice the small flicker of the crayon is reflecting off the surface not too far away. Despite wanting to lay here and die for a while, I push myself back up and walk shakily towards the reflection with my knees wobbling.

Gradually, an old, dilapidated house comes into view with grey wooden planks eaten away by the surroundings, black shingles scattered across the roof, but most of them lay on the ground, and dusty, shattered windows. The small house is hidden easily away by a natural curve in the rock from the mountain and the canopy of the low-hanging tree branches. The front door is barely holding together by a hinge and the front stone steps is obscured by copious amounts of leaves, twigs, and birch. It's the kind of house you would expected from a stereotypical horror film and it screams darkness as I step closer to it. Leaning sideways a bit, I peek beyond the door into the house, but it's pitch-black past the 'Welcome' mat. Going against my better judgment, and the all signs pointing to danger, I step over the door and into the house

Immediately, I am overcome by the stench of musty, humid mildew and dust to the point of retching, so I clasp hand over my mouth. The house groans with every step I take, my foot already unsteady, and the floorboards creaking with dust wafting out the cracks. The walls are crumbling down and the ghost of a presence seems to linger in the photos of a family that have long since left. They're not those old black and white photos where a woman is wearing a white dress and all the children are perfectly ordered. No, these are polaroid photos taken not even twenty years back and are labelled, "Terry's first bike", "Melissa + Terry", "Time for school", and much more like that. All the furniture is covered by faded, duct-covered white sheets that look untouched for many years. The living room us small and looks like a family room from the late 70's, but the air feels almost dense in here. The coffee table is the only furniture not covered with several newspapers scattered across it and a photo framed covered by black lace.

I stretch my fingers out to uncover the picture, but there is blood-curdling scream in the distance that startles me and makes me jump back. Knocking aggressively into the wall, a few frames drop down and smash on the ground, echoing in the empty house. "Son of bitch!" I hiss as a couple glass shards cut into my ankles. Fantastic, now all the guys are going to start babying me if they see the cuts, but it doesn't look to bad. Another shriek is heard throughout the forest, but it sounded differently from the first one that was most likely Bryce's. Evan is probably being a giant dick about now.

Either way, the goosebumps it gave worries me since I know this game still terrifies most of us to play. Especially Bryce and Even who have never been into anything scary, and have nightmares about _Jeepers Creepers_. Ignoring the small mess I made, I hastily head out the house, and a guilt-wrenching pull tugs in my heart. It didn't even feel that long of a time I was in the house, but once I jump past the door, the crayon burns my fingers. I let the crayon fall on the ground before stomping it out, enshrouding myself in darkness once more. The silence doesn't last long as I hear footsteps racing somewhere nearby and passing the curve, and myself, without a second glance. "Hello, friend!" I call out loudly, not caring if Ryan hears it. I did promise to go easy on him this round.

The manly scream and sounds of somebody falling means it's Evan sine he is the only man I know that can scream manly. "What the fuck Jonathon?!" He barks and I laugh manically as I hear him scrounge around for a crayon. With a flick of his lighter, the crayon is ablaze and he holds it out in front of him, letting it drip on the ground. "Fucking scared the shit out of me," he whines, fear still in his eyes.

"Sorry Evan. I had to, you were running through here like a madman." I gasp out. He seems to have recovered from the initial shock. In fact, he didn't look terrified at all anymore, but instead, he is blinking rapidly. "Have you seen Ryan or the others?" I ask curiously. If it's been about half an hour in the forest, then why hasn't anybody come to this side of the forest?

"Yeah, I just saw David. He saw Ryan's light and ran off when we ran into each other. He said something about nature trees and nature is bitch? We got split up a couple minutes ago, so he might be around here." Evan explains smoothly, remembering to keep his voice low in case Ryan catches it. Ryan may not have the best eyes, but he is one of the best eavesdroppers I've ever had the honour of meeting. "How about you? You see anyone?"

"Nope. I've been looking around this house just over there." I tell him, turning around and pointing to the dilapidated house.

"Woah man. It looks creepy as hell. And you actually went in there?" I nod in response and he stares bug-eyed at me. Despite being the biggest jock in our school and being buff like a tank, Evan is surprisingly very superstitious. He was the only one that didn't want to play this game in the first place, but I convinced him to warm up to the idea. "You really are crazy. I wouldn't go anywhere near that place."

"It was really boring actually. I left though when I heard somebody screaming out here."

"Oh, that was David when we ran into each other. Not sure about the second one though. My bet is on Bryce." He chuckles to himself but it's enough to give a crooker smile. "Anyways, do you have any idea where the exit is?"

"Not a single clue, but I'm going to take a chance that way," I say, pointing left of the house, but he doesn't look pleased with it. "What?"

"Nothing. I just don't want to walk past the house." He mutters, almost too quiet for me to hear, and looking down at the ground.

I sputter indignantly, "Well I didn't ask you to come with me!" I hold my chest in mock offense and he starts laughing with me. "Which way did you want to go?"

"Uh, back the way I came?" He points back to the direction he was running in. "I think I was close to the exit, but I wasn't going to risk it with Ryan. But he should be chasing down David by now since the giant doesn't know how to be stealthy." I don't bother responding before walking in the direction he wants. Since he found me here, I know it'll take a lot of effort to get him to leave me alone now since one of his favourite side-games is to get me caught.

We walk for a while, just enjoying the silence between us for once, and setting one of my crayons on fire too. When I'm with Evan, the forest doesn't feel as haunting as it did earlier and I find myself admiring the darkness. No moonlight is breaking through the trees, but with our crayons, I can see the white trees swaying, the tall grass coming up to my knees, and the slight mist coming down the mountain. It almost felt safe while it last, but the atmosphere bubble popped as another scream broke through the forest, but there was more. There were terrified screams coming from our right, but it runs my blood dead cold hearing it. Bryce's voice rings disturbingly ominously in the silence before stopping abruptly.

"NO! GET AWAY FROM ME! HELP!" We may be complete jerks to each at time, but never have I heard any of my friends scream like this. Saliva builds in my mouth but I can't even swallow it down, my throat clamping shut in pure terror. Evan looks more confused than scared when he blinks back at me, but I know better. The weight of the situation is hitting him harder the longer he thinks about it and he will lose his mind soon.

"What? Let's go!" Evan stammers as we book it towards Bryce's direction. A cold pit begins sinking deep in my stomach as Evan starts outrunning me and I can't keep up with him.

Glancing to the left, everything in my world begins crashing down as I see my largest nightmare comes slowly to life. I drop to my knees since I'm still exhausted from takeoff an hour ago and the sinking feeling anchoring me down. Burning acid crawls up my throat like little spiders but I fight every part of my being to keep it down. Abruptly, I'm all too aware of the sweat building on around neck and the feeling of butterflies in my stomach, just those weren't welcoming butterflies. Those were carnivorous moths eating my insides, piece by piece. There was the mutilated corpse of a man; if I didn't know better than I would say he went skydiving without a parachute. Beyond all the torn flesh, the few bones sticking out in places they don't belong, and the puddle of blood, the only way of telling this is Ryan is the backpack next to him.

I sit there trying to understand what I'm seeing when I hear distant footsteps heading my way from separate directions. I never look away, but I hear two of my friends ram right into each other and they both hurtle to the ground. I hear scrambling for a moment before they fall into a relaxed conversation, if not a bit tensed still. How can they be so calm about this situation? Didn't they hear Bryce screaming earlier? Don't they see Ryan?

"I thought you were Ryan!" I hear David yell out.

"Same here," Luke replies.

I listen to their interaction, not bothering to try and call out to them about what should be right in front of their eyes. I'm not aware of the tears that silently stream down my face or the way Luke and David are trying to get my attention. I barely feel anything as they try shaking me, because all my focus is on one of my best friends lying motionless a few feet in front of me. Luke is in front of my face the next moment, trying to call me back to him, but I couldn't recognize him anymore. They deserve to know. "Behind you," I croak, trying not to break down anymore.

I startled them for a second, but it is nothing compared to their reaction as the find Ryan further into the trees. For once in his life, David is speechless, not moving, not making any noises, and I'm not even sure he is breathing. The box of crayons and lighter fall seamlessly through his fingers and clatter to the ground, deafening to the silence. This causes the worst reaction from my best friend since he was always closer to Ryan than the others.

"Ryan?" He croaks. That is rare for Luke since he is a guy who never lets his emotions take control. He has only cried once the entire nine years of knowing him. Now here he is, on his knees, crawling towards his best friend, and I know tears are streaming down his face. He's reaching out to Ryan, gently touching his cheek, and trying to believe this is a dream. There's nothing he can do. Nothing that any of us can do for Ryan anymore. He's gone and he isn't coming back. "Wake up." He's not going to. "Come on, say something." He can't anymore. "Ryan, please." Ryan left us.

҉

Somewhere else in the forest, Evan's heartbeat picks up rapidly as he stares down at the body in front of him. He just ran a small marathon, yet the site before him makes his heart race impossibly faster. As horrible as it is, he anticipated it when he heard the screams, but he hadn't been ready for it to happen. Leaning against the trunk of a white tree, now stained crimson, is Bryce. He's not moving, there is too much blood covering him, and a clean cut in his neck. His skin is as pale as the moon, his pack of crayons lay perfectly next to him, and his right hand clutches a black box cutter.

The way he looks now is the opposite of who Bryce is. He's not bouncing around, he's not laughing at everything making him happy, he's not singing those little ditties, and he's not smiling for all he's worth. He's so cold now, he seems so far away, and he isn't Bryce anymore. The real Bryce always says - said - that he will cherish and live life to its fullest; he would never do this. He would never abandon his friends, he would never ruin the moments of watching his younger brothers grow up, and he would never act against God like this.

These thoughts made Evan feel sick to his stomach and his limbs feel as heavy as mind and heart. No matter how much he is feeling right now, logic should come first. He wants to sit down, cry, scream, punch the trees, and blame God for this, but he can't right now. Bryce didn't do this to himself, so that means somebody did. Luke, David, Ryan, and Jonathon don't know what happened, otherwise he wouldn't be the only one here. He must find them before something else happens. He wouldn't be able to handle another lost, especially not Jonathon.

҉

After quite some time, David, Luke, and I could compose ourselves enough to think reasonably. We couldn't stand seeing Ryan like that anymore; it was the greatest torture any of us could go through. The 2 A.M. wind has come, but all of us are so numb that we don't feel the coldness sweeping us. We took off our jackets and now Ryan looks like he's using our jackets as a blanket while he sleeps. I would give anything to have that be the case, but it's not. Not a single sound is made between the three of us as we take a flashlight. David takes an extra flashlight for Bryce and I carry the other for Evan, but none of us want to take the one from Ryan's hand. We're not ready, if we'll ever be.

We decided not to be idiots from scary movies and stick together to find the other two. There's no point in splitting up when there's obviously someone else in the forest that can cause that much damage. Since this was a nature preservation, all dangerous animals were taken out, so that's not a possibility. The only other explanation that pops into my mind is Piper and Susan. The suicide ghosts that supposedly haunt this place and became the town's legends. If there were such a thing, why would Ryan be considered a threat? He never did anything wrong that warrants a death sentence from the supernatural.

With the extremely shocked and depressed state, I'm not sure how long it takes for me to notice that our footsteps don't sound the way I remember it. There's an extra shuffle of steps I know none of us can make. We've been playing this for two years and in that time, it's impossible for the footsteps not to become a natural rhythm. Catching onto this now, I swing out my arm to make the three of us stop abruptly, but the steps continue for a second. Somebody is behind us.

You know that feeling you get when you go on a skyscraper drop? That one feeling you get as the ride pauses at the very top, just before it drops? That's the exact feeling that hits my stomach as realization comes down on the three of us. Reluctantly, I slow turn around to see what is making that noise, praying it's Bryce or Evan dragging their feet. It's not them. It's an enormous man, even towering over David, and everything about him screams danger. From the wild, choppy brown-gray hair to his stoic face that holds absolutely no emotion to the scars trailing his arms and neck to the dried blood on his fingertips.

It's a nightmare coming true as the man takes a step forward and we take one back. The smirk that appears on his face sickens me, leaving my heart beating thundering and my stomach turning. Fight or flights instincts kick in as I grab Luke and David's wrists, shouting "RUN!"

Everything turns into a blur as we find our minds and feet, the rush of adrenaline striking down. The trees fly past us as we keep going, barely dodging a few just in time and nearly tripping over fallen branches. The grass slows us a bit, mainly me, as it wraps around our legs and a few shrubs catch around our ankles. It seems every step we take, twigs are breaking into two and echoes throughout the forest, sounding completely different from the other Wick games we played. David, the tall bastard, creates major distance from the man, and I grateful for it. Luke is not too far behind David, which puts me as the straggler as the man starts gaining on me. The three of us a barely whip past the trees in time, and glancing back, the man seems to know the woods by heart. If he had one.

Making a quick decision for my friends, I break away from the straight line we were running and take a sharp right, praying the man follows. He does. The light from their flashlights die out as they continue running in the same direction. "Jonathon!" I hear Luke call, but I don't stop. If I can spare time for my friends, I'm going to keep running. One foot after another, I keep sprinting, but it isn't long before I feel a slight tug on my shirt before I fling backwards. The last thing I see is the man's horrible face. A crooked nose as if it broke and never healed properly, grey eyes that have no sign of life, and gnarled teeth. The horrifying smile is the last thing I see before my world is submerged in darkness.

I can't breathe as everything hurts and there's a piercing ringing in my ears. I feel someone touching my neck, but there's nothing I can do besides lay here. I'm not able to focus on anything, everything is fuzzy, and I feel exhausted. Maybe I'll just sleep here. Everything around me is muffled and seems so distant, but I don't want to try and focus with how tired I am. It doesn't seem worth it to get up and fight back against a losing fight.

They don't let me sleep though. I hear Evan, or is it the angels waiting for me in heaven? There's Luke too. I hear him shouting at someone. Is it me? No, it's at David. They are calling out his name and I hear the panic in it.

I feel the air come back and I can breathe again. It's too much for me when I start choking and gasping out, but I know I'll be fine as someone wraps their arms around. I take in everything once more through blurry eyes in time to see the man holding up David. The man is lifting him up impossibly with one arm, David's feet dangling a few inches from the forest floor, and the man is pushing back Luke with the other. David convulses violently, not even aware of the fact that he was screaming his lungs out, but nothing comes out. Neither Evan or I have the time to do something before the man yanks his body back and forth until an echoing pop rings out. He lets the body go and David falls to the ground with a dark purple marking on his neck. The person around me, Evan, pulls me up and drags me away from the scene as Luke crouches over David's immobile body.

David looks like Ryan now, but without the red colour and the bruising around his throat. It's the same dull eyes that look off into the distance, transfixed onto nothing, and glazed over. His flashlight fell out of his hand and rests just a couple inches away from his fingertips, but he's no longer trying to reach for it. He's joined Ryan now, wherever he may be, but it's better than being here with the rest of us. If the man can catch us this quickly, we're never going to make it out of these woods, even if we find Bryce in time. Who's to say Bryce is still alive? If he was still here, he would have come running to help us, because I know how loud the others can scream. Unless Bryce made it out of the forest and is sitting peacefully in Luke's truck, but that is a just a dream for now.

Evan pulls me along as we begin running again, and looking back I see the man crowding over Luke, who seems to have given up hope. I whip my head back to Evan, concentrating on the warmth of his hand instead of Luke's screams and the sounds of struggling. The man is too big and too powerful, there's no way we can stop him with just the two of us left standing. It's not long before the screaming ends and I don't feel anything anymore. I can't feel anything anymore. My friends are gone, we're lost in a forest without any light, and there's a psycho killer chasing us. Who was it that suggested we play Wick in the first place? Lui was the one who told me about it in our English class. I told everybody about it. It was me. This is all my fault.

We don't stop running for a long time, I didn't even bother to try and keep track since it doesn't matter. It could have been a few minutes, maybe an hour, but it only feels like seconds compared to any other night. I lean against the closest tree, catching my breath and watching Evan lose his dinner not too far away. It seems like forever he stands there, bent over, leaning on his knees before he finally manages to straighten up a little. He wipes his mouth harshly, more than slightly disgusted with himself, before trudging over to where I am leaning at. I reach out my hand, gripping Evan's wrist and try to make sense of what is real and what is not. I'm not even sure if I want to make it out of this forest now. Ryan, Bryce, David, and Luke are gone, just leaving me and Evan alone.

We all had plans together after high school, we all wanted to leave this town, and go explore the world. We were going to study abroad in different programs. Ryan wanted to go into business management, Bryce planned for music performance, David decided to start with psychology, Luke chose aviation aircraft maintenance, Evan was thinking about economics, and I want to do culinary. We all needed the same basics, so why not study together while doing whatever we wanted? That's how it was supposed to be. Not like this. Not in a million years did we ever think this was going to happen.

"What are we going to do, Jonathon?" Evan pleads, his voice wavering. I know he's crying, I know he won't admit it, and I know he is counting on me to keep a straight head. I want to tell him everything is going to be okay, that we're going to make it out, and that we'll never see the man again. I can't because I can never lie to Evan, ever since I first met him. Every time he knows I've lied to him, he sends me the same picture of a sad penguin, and it drives me up the wall with guilt. I won't lie to him, especially right now with him looking so small and fragile.

"I don't know, Evan. But whatever happens next, I'm not leaving you. I can promise you that much." I whisper, holding a second meaning behind the words. I hope he catches on.

"I'm not leaving you behind either. Alright? It's both of us or none of us. You're all I have left now," he whispers back. And I know he means the same as I, but there is very little time left. "I'm not letting you go."

With that out of the way, I push from the tree, walking in the same path we ran, and hold onto Evan while I can. He follows without complaints, just as lost and as hopeless as I am right now, but we keep moving. I keep on hand in front to stop me from walking in a tree and try to navigate in the darkness. It seems we made it deeper into the woods by the dense canopy above our heads. There is still no moonlight coming through the leaves, our flashlights were dropped, and I don't want to light our crayons just to draw in the man. As we walk, I suddenly have something stuck to the bottom of my shoes, almost like gum on the sidewalk. I stop, Evan bumping into me, and lift the bottom of my shoe to see what it is. Melted crayon. Someone's run through here. I let go of Evan's wrist, making him grab my elbow in panic, and dig for a crayon. Lighting it quickly, I recognize where we've ended back up when I see the same flickering reflection on the window pane. It's the old, dilapidated house.

After all that we went through tonight, this house doesn't seem ominous are frightening in the least bit. It's almost comforting in a sense that I at least have an idea of where I am at in the forest. Just a 100 count away from the exit, but I still don't know what direction to go in. "Evan, we're at the place where I spin around. Which direction do we take?" I offer him, leaving the final decision to him. Even if he doesn't exactly know where to go, he has incredible luck on his side that used to get very annoying. Right now, it is useful to us in this situation and we are literally placing our lives on this line.

"Uh…" Evan hesitates before closing his eyes and taking deep breaths. He spins in the same spot I did earlier and that's when I hear it. Footsteps in the distance that are coming closer and I quickly blow out the crayon before he can see it. "Jonathon?" Evan whispers as taking my hand once more and starts walking in a random direction. We're careful when walking as quiet as we could be with the twigs and dried leaves cracking and crunching with every step we take. Everything in me is telling me to run and being out in the open isn't be safe, but I fought the urge, knowing it'd only attract attention to us. Every few seconds we stop and stay still as the man walks around before the steps turn into stomps as the man heads for the house. Did he used to live there?

Evan tugs on me and we start moving at a faster pace, not bothering to stop anymore, and just trying to get a relatively safe distance from the man. We don't more than a few feet before the forest lights up and an engine begins roaring to life. My head whips back towards the house where it is now lit up like a football stadium and shines far into the forest. Coming to stand at the door is the man in all his malevolent glory as he stares directly at us. My breath catches in my throat as I see the determination in his eyes before he stands in a running position. "100." I start the count down, looking at Evan one last time, before we take off again for the second time that night.

99.

I don't think I've ever moved this fast in my life before. The only other time that can compare is when Luke had pneumonia and I didn't see him for two weeks when we were kids.

86.

I hear Evan panting next to me and I hold his hand tighter. We don't even let go as trees almost break us apart last second, but we yank each other side to side,

77.

The footsteps thunder closer to us. The man is starting to gain on us, but he is human, I pray he starting to get tired of this night. It might be our only chance to get out alive.

64.

I wonder if my mom and sister are looking for me. I wonder if anybody is looking for the six of us by now. They should be by now.

60.

Mom would throw a right fit if she knew we were staying out this late since we usually only last for three hours at the most.

58.

This weekend is Jennifer's last weekend at home before she drives to the state's university and I didn't spend her last night with her.

45.

If we do make it out of the forest, I don't know how I'll ever live without four of my best friends. I wouldn't be able to face their family and tell them what happened.

39.

How will I get up in the morning without Luke climbing through my bedroom window and screaming to the heavens to wake me up? He's been with me since we were nine years old and I have relied on him every day to help keep me alive. He's the only big brother that I don't know how to live without.

35.

Where will I get the best cup of hot cocoa when I have a bad day without Bryce? He always did it for his friends when they had troubles. Sure, we teased him endlessly for it, but the truth is, it always made us feel better. It was one of the only things we looked forward to, but we never told him about it.

31.

None of my laughs will never be the same with David gone. We all gave him the hardest time because he forgets how English works sometimes, he gets very emotional fast, and he never filters what he said. In all those moments, he made me laugh the hardest I ever I did I life. He made me forget all the bad times I go through.

27.

Without Ryan, I'm not going to have the best food critic to test all my new experiments and give good advice. Every Friday afternoon, when we had our free period without the others, we would sneak into the school kitchen so I could practice. My cooking will never be good enough with Ryan there telling me how I could make it better.

23.

How am I ever supposed to look at Evan the same way? Every time I will look at him, I'll only think about everything I took from him. It's all my fault we begun playing Wick in the first place. How am I going to look at him without reminding myself that I should be the only trapped here instead?

17.

The light from the house is beginning to die out now, but that's not the only light source anymore.

11.

Through the thin trees, I can see the sun starting to peek over the horizon. Evan grasps my hand tighter, if it's possible.

5.

Goodbye my friends.

4.

I love you all so much.

3.

I'm sorry I never told you.

2.

҉

 **AN UNIMAGINABLE LOCAL SUICIDE PACT**

 **MISSING HOMETOWN HIGH SCHOOLERS FOUND IN A VERY SURPRISING MANNER AT ABANDONED CRISS CROSS NATURE PRESERVE**

After two days full days of searching for a group of teenage friends that went missing last Sunday evening, all the high school students were found dead. Five of the students (Evan Fong, Luke Patterson, David Nolan, Bryce McQuaid, and Jonathon Dennis) were discovered with self-inflicted injuries that led to their deaths. The last student, Ryan O'Neill, had obtained extraordinary damage that authorities conclude come from an accident fall from Criss Cross Mtn. Whether from guilt or grief, police peculate the remaining friends created a suicide pact and ended their lives soon after discovering O'Neill. Many friends and family of the deceased have come forward stating their loved one would not commit such an act, but there have been no evidence suggesting foul play. According to those close to six have said the group had a tradition of going into the preserve to play a game called Wick. Is this a case of midnight shenanigans gone wrong or were the teenagers led to their death by the supernatural? Some people believe the teenagers were cursed in the forest by an old legend of two girls found dead in those same trees. No link has been found between these two suicide cases and the facts remain of a suicide back. With the bodies safely returned to their families, funeral arrangements have been made and Criss Cross Academy will be holding a memorial service for the deceased on Friday at 8 o'clock.


End file.
